Acoustic instrument.



HA W. HESS.

ACOUSTlC iNSTRUMENT. mmc/mou man Dc 314, ma.

Patented May 1L 1915. l

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. W. Hiss. l Acousnc INSTRUMENT.

J APPLiCATlON FILED DEC-31,1913. 1 l 8,7555 Patent-ed May 1l, 15515" 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i citizen of the United States, residin HALRY w. Hass, or 'New Yoan, u. v.

cousus ins'rnunnwr.

T all @hom it maji/ concern: y

Be 1t known that I, HARRY IV. H nss, a at New York, in the State of New York, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acoustic Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable'others skilled in the 'art to which it appertains to make and.

use the same.

yThe present invention has yprincipal rev lation: to improvements in tone-projecting devices whereinthe acoustic vibrations are produced either mechanically, electrically or otherwise; and, in itslparticular application of the phonographic art,,the invention comprises certain features whereby compactness, lightness and adaptabilityto va-- rious types of these machines are combined with great accuracy of tone reproduction.

The lnventlon includes, as well, a novel method of blending and reinforcing tone waves.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings,

` whereinl Figure 1- is a front elevation, of my toneprojecting element as embodied for phonographic purposes, Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof ron the line m-fc in Fig. l, Fig. 3 is a face view of the tone-clarifier, Fig'ei` is an edge view of the same, Fig. 5 is a detail partial side view of'a preferred stylus, Fig. 6 isr a side view' of a portion ofthe tilted form of phonographic arrangement,

Fig, 7 is a. plan view of; a disk record maychine furnished with my improvement, and Fig. 8 is a side view of the same shown level. Y

The term phonograph is `intended to apply to any type :of machine reproducing sound'from a record. y j My improved tone-pr'ajecting element,

whether employedy telephonically, phonographically or otherwise, comprises a source lof acoustic waves. (such for instanceas a' vibrating diaphragm) -.which may be termed A .so

a tone-producing element, and tone-modifiers, 'w ereby the components of the erig- Speo'idoation of l Letters Patent.

-suit Patented May 11, 1915.

Applicaties ale-a n'ecemnr s1, 1913,. Serial no. $09,642'.

inal vibrations are so reinforced as to preiorricn.

serve tothe fullest possible' extent the indi- V vidual character of the voice or group of acoustic vibrations intended to be projected while obtaining the desired "'vclume o sound. One novel feature of the tone pro- ,l

jector is found in the blending othe waves from both sides of the tone producer, by tiirnin back those delivered from one side 1n-til they are projected in. a common group with those from theother side.` Another novel feature is found in the revision of a compound resonator, prefera) middle and bassi' ly arrangedfor correspondence to the vthreeprincipal. `recognized voice re 'sters known as treble y uniting the two novell features abovenamed in they compact emibodimen't herein shown and described, I

am able to produce a perfectly natural-voice effect, since I avail myself of the'natural human organization of two orifices (mouth and nose) Acombined with compound resonators (palate and head bones) suitedtothe elements of a'ble to obtain the desired volume of sound without use of`a"'horn, and I- avoid the false resonance of horns, i blasts and the like, whose disagreeable eiiects are well known. Certain other features Aof advantage {iowing from 'various elements `of my invention are sctforth hereinafter. f d

While I have described my tone projector hereinafter in connection with its `preferred embodiment in a phonograph, it isgto be i i understood' that, eXce t as lotherwise exprely stated in my ited to this field of use.

In the form shown the tone reducer isa voice projection. `Lalli l c aims, I am not limdiaphragm 10 of anysuitable orm and material, mounted within thel supporting ring 11, which latter is'providedwith a partltion 12, having a tone orifice 13. vBetween wthis partition "andi the diaphragm there isa y le space which I call thecompression chamber, and within which I prefer vto ein-- ploy a clariiier, consistingof a disk 14 havd .ing .a series of -openin" 15 preferably formedby cutting the's nce o f the disk and bendin the same .to form, 'wings 16 nur ofthe pas@ ofihigdisk, pgefmbly,

et right angleeto the seme. l have found that thev best ette/ots are vproduced i where veach orifice hee et leest one straight edge plaeedrmliolly, sind where, as clearly shown in Figi. 4, the wings :ire lient alternately toward oi'uiosite sides oft the disk. lt is also advisable to supply o. oentrel aperture 17 in this disk, to get the best effect. l have determined by eureiinl experiments that hy introducing; l. li. or .plate of this character, oei-tuin heed tones oi the human voice, which lere otherwise blurred, are vbrought ont distinotly.

Beyond the 'tone oriioe 13, the ring 11 is supplied with the first nieinber l18 of the compound resonator,` which Causes the waves which pass through and radiate 'from the orifice 13 again to converge to e new point Y of departure.

This first meniher preferably takes the' forni of u shell which is exteriorly concave und correspondingly convex within;

Surrounding the iirst member, :ind prefy erzibly also mounted upon the ring 11 is the soond nieine 19 of the compound res nutor. This is preferably :i shell principally eonvexwithout und correspondingly concave within, although it taires the opposite our Vvuture 'for e short distance around its opening', is shown.

The third find'outerniost member of the compound resonator is capable of being enif ployed us o support for the other elements herein described, und this is the prfer'red form. shown. l/Vhether employed es a. support or not, however, l: prefer also toelnploy it to gather end reverse vthe issuing sound weites, so :ie to cause them to join those given oil." Atroni the opposite side of the source or producer.y For this reason it may be 'termed the Lreversing resonzitor ln the preferred forni shown this last member is :t hollow shell 2O surroundingv the ring,r v11 and the inner resoneting menihers, 'and snpporting the seme ineens of ,sorewsh which engage the ring; 11.; es 'sliov-Jn in Fie'. 2. .As shown in the drawings this shell acts to reflect the modified acoustic waives given oil from that side of the diaphrngm- 10 shown uppermost in Fig. 2, 'end tliis 'fleetion takes place through o, :ring ysliziped Space surrounding the opening 22 of th`v sounding' shell through which iii-st named opening uredelivered the waves from theA lower side of Suid diaphragm. l have found this novel '.tliod of blending the waves from the tivosides ofthe tonesource to give espeeielly gfiifll results. Thev shell 23 nifty be hel-d remonbly in'ploee by iny Suitable means. gis,:forinstance.l the screws 24, possing tliroughfthe edge ofthe riep; 11.

I have' found thutvthe orgfinimtioh uhove described. gives the natural eljeotprod'uced in -tlie human voie" the resonntinp; envi'd ties und surfaces w on in the head; und, while getting the same volume of tone as obtainmanner iter rotation upon e suitiihle shaft 26 by motor mechanism within the casing 27. The handle 28 is employed for winding up the motor, when a. spring motor is used. The usuel stop is shown M129. The disk record is mounted upon the table 25 es shown in Fig. 8 et 30. The record is omitted from Fig. 7. I

At the side of theoasing 27 there is placed zi post 31 having e. socketetits top into which there fi loosely the down turned stud 32 uponthe erm 33. An erin 34C, fixed to the side of the external. shell 20, is hinged at its end to the end of the erm 33, as shown at 35. This hinge permits vertical ploy of the shell 20 end its contents, whilethe stud 32 turns within its Socket to permit the horizontal movement incident to the :following of the record groove by the stylus. By turning the erm 34 mnd shell 2O upwerd around the hihge 35 the instrument een be thrown into inoperative position in e. well known menm ner. f y i ln Figs, 7 and 8 the table 25 which Carries the record 30 is shown level and thisl is with` in my invention; but l prefer to give'the table ond record a materiel inclination es shofvn sinnewhet exaggerated in Fig. 6. This inoliimtion facilitates the forward movement of the shell and the stylus across the record whether storting 'from the oircun'iiferenoe und moving' toward the center or storting below the center and moving .outward to the circumference.

As shown in Figs. 1 end fi. l 't 36, the edge of the shell 20 ie out away toxiermit insee tion of the stylus vwhich muy be mounted in :my suitable manner, but 'prefere ly :is here-- v in shown and described. ln inyVpreferred `mounting the usual removable needle 37 is tightly clamped Vwithin the stylus body 3S,

byV means of n, set screw 39 or otherwise find the body 38 ie mounted for vhretion\\\in e pleno at right ongles to the planeet the dief phi-ogm. ploy lugs 4.0 on the ring ll between which the body 38 is inserted, being supported by e torsional mounting composedeither of e fine wire ll1 as shown. in Fig.1, or of two line wires et :i suitable distanoeepart es shown et i2 in Fig. 5. .Theswire onwires are lined firmly bothftothe body of the stylus und to the lu gs l0 and the vicietion of the stylus upon its noounting is accomplished by u twisting oi the Wire mounting.

there projects 'from the body 38 the usuel For this purpose l i'irefer to ein" contact arm 43 which makes contact with the center of the diaphragm as shown in Fig. 1. As well understood in the art, the extremity of the arm 13 may or may not be fixed to the diaphragm. v i

The mounting described is extremely simple and has been found to give excellent results in practice. It permits the removal of the stylus with great ease. l

Various changes may be made in the construction of my improvement without departing from my invention and I do not limit myself Ato the details herein shown'and described.

What I claim is* l. In a phonograph, and in combination with the record support and record moving means thereof, an external hollow reflector having a single opening for emission of sound, a diaphragm mounted Within said reflector near the opening thereof, a sounding shell mounted over the `outer face of said diaphragm and projecting beyond the plane of the opening *in said reflector, a stylus adaptedto act upon said diaphragm, and mounting means for said reflector adapted to permit movement thereof over the record, substantially as described.

2. In a phonograph, and in combination with the record support and record moving l means ther-eef, a hollow external reflector having asingle opening, a diaphragm suitably mounted near said opening within said reflector, a stylus adapted to act thereon, a sound conveying shell directed inward from said diaphragm away from the reflector opening, a second sound conveying shell directed outward from said diaphragm through said'opening, and n'iounting means for said reflector` adapted to permit move ment thereof over the record, substantially as described.

3. In a phonograph and in combination with the record support and record moving means thereof, a hollow reflector substantially of the shape of a sphere with a seg- `ment removed along a plane so placed as to afford a eonstricted opening, a diaphragm mounted within said reflector' substantially parallel to the plane of said opening, a sounding shell applied over the outer face of said diaphragm and projecting outside of said opening, a stylus adapted to act upoh said diaphragm, and mounting means for said reflector' adapted to permit movement thereof over the record, substantially as described.

4. In a phonograph, means for moving the record and a support for said record movingl means; in combination with a compound resonator adapted to move as a whole over said record and comprising an inner shell outwardly concave an outer shell outwardly convex and a shell surrounding both, and a diaphragm and stylus associated with said resonator and adapt'ed to move therewith,` substantially as described.

5. In a phonograph, means, for moving the record and a support for Asaid record moving means; in combination with a resonator adapted to move as a whole over said record, a diaphragm within said resonator, a toneclarifying disk mounted behind said diaphragm and having substantially radial slits therein each provided with a projecting wing on one side, and a stylus operatively connected with said diaphragm, substantially as described. v

6. In a phonograph, means for moving the record and a support for said record and moving means; in combination with a res` onator adapted to move as a whole over said record, a diaphragm within said resonator, a tone-clarifying disk mounted behind said diaphragm and having substantially radial slits therein, each provided with a projecting wing on one side, and the wing on each slit projecting in a direction opposite to that on the next, and a. stylus operatively connected with said diaphragm, substantially as described. i l 7. In a phonograph and -in combination with the record-support and record moving means thereof, a dome-shaped reflecting shell having a single opening constricted with relation to the principal diameter y,of the shell, a diaphragm within said shell placed across and just behind the central portion of said opening so as to leave a ring-shaped space around it for emitting sound waves reflected from within the shell, a stylus operatively connected With said diaphragm and mounting means for said shell adapted to permit movement thereof `over the record.

S. In a phonograph and in combination HARRY lV. HESS.

, `Witnesses: y 

